Benjamin Albertson

Eleva...elevating the human spirit through music.

Benjamin Albertson, Harp

Ben Albertson has performed as a harpist for over twelve years throughout the United States and Canada. Ben has served under great conductors such as Gerard Schwartz, Giancarlo Guerrero, Christoph Eschenbach, Bramwell Tovey, and Kensho Watanabe performing in venues from Carnegie Hall in New York to Beneroya Hall in Seattle. Ben’s recent accomplishments include the distinction of being the youngest finalist in the American Harp Society’s National Competition in the Young Professional Division; his solo debut on WQXR, New York’s classical radio station, where he played his own transcription of a Debussy Nocturne; and his solo debut with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra in Washington State.

In 2021, Ben joined the Youth Orchestra of the Americas as a fellow in one of the most prestigious orchestral academies. In addition to being the third prize winner of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Ben was excited to compete at the Colburn School in Los Angeles as the youngest finalist of the Biannual American Harp Society’s National Competition in their highest division. Ben also participated in the Musica Mundi Chamber Music Festival in Waterloo, Belgium at which time he also had the opportunity to study with Israeli harpist Sivan Megan.

In the summer of 2020, Ben was planning on attending the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, but it was cancelled due to the current pandemic. Ben instead focused his summer on learning new repertoire and delving into the art of transcription. Ben arranged Stravinsky’s 1919 Firebird suite for the solo harp. Ben hopes to one day have it published with an accompanying album including other original transcriptions. 

Over the last few seasons, Ben’s performances include his debut at Toronto’s Koerner Hall, where he played chamber music by Debussy, and his debut as a soloist at the University of British Colombia Chamber Orchestra Festival in Vancouver’s Chan Center of the Performing Arts. Ben has performed as an orchestra member with orchestras such as the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America Two, the Seattle Youth Symphony, the All-Northwest Orchestra, and the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, where he was distinguished as the Whittgow Family Scholar. Ben has been distinguished as being the youngest finalist of the Glenn Gould School Concerto Competition, where he played the vivacious Ginastera Harp Concerto. Ben won the Washington State Music Educators Association Solo and Ensemble Competition in the harp division for two consecutive years. He also won second prize in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Institute at Whistler Concerto Competition. Ben has also received the Mercer Island Orchestra Festival Certificate of Commendation, and the Mason’s Daylight Lodge Certificate of Appreciation. 

Ben currently attends the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music where he is in his final year of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in harp performance. At the school, Ben attends on the merit based full tuition Marylin and Charles E. Bailie Family Scholarship. At the Glenn Gould School, Ben currently studies under the acclaimed harpist Judy Loman. Ben’s previous teachers include Kippy Scott and Heidi Lehwalder. Ben has appeared in master classes with many world renown and acclaimed harpists such as Nancy Allen, Emanuel Ceysson, Alexander Boldachev, Heidi Lehwalder, and Alice Giles. 

https://www.facebook.com/bencalbertson